Most people refer to their mom’s cousin as their second cousin. This is extremely common among many families. Even though it’s common to refer to cousins that are a generation apart as second cousins, this isn’t accurate.
Your mom’s cousin is your first cousin once removed. A ‘first cousin’ is a person that you share a set of grandparents with. The once removed portion of ‘first cousin once removed’ indicates that the grandparents are from different generations.
In this article
- Culture Plays A Role
- What Do I Call My Mother’s Cousin?
- What Is My Mother’s Cousin’s Daughter/Son To Me?
- Is My Mother’s Cousin My Aunt Or Uncle?
- What Does Once Removed Mean?
- What Is A First Cousin Once Removed?
- What Is A Second Cousin Once Removed?
- What Are First, Second, And Third Cousins?
- What Am I To My First Cousin Once Removed?
- Interesting Cousin Facts
- In Conclusion
Culture Plays A Role
In English, this person is your first cousin once removed. Yet, different cultures have different names for this relation.
If your family isn’t English or you hear of someone from a different country referring to this relation as someone else, they might not be wrong.
What Do I Call My Mother’s Cousin?
Although this relation is technically your first cousin once removed, it’s very uncommon to hear a person referred to as that. Most people shorten this relation to ‘cousin.’
Some choose to shorten it to ‘first cousin’ and omit the ‘once removed’ portion of the relation.
Other families might choose to call your mother’s cousin your aunt or uncle. This is because they’re from the same generation as your parents.
Some families might also have a misunderstanding as to what relation this person is to you, which can lead to them telling you it’s your aunt or uncle.
What Is My Mother’s Cousin’s Daughter/Son To Me?
When your first cousin once removed has a child, they’re your second cousin. If your second cousin has a child, they would be your second cousin once removed. This can get a bit confusing. Hence, why most people refer to everyone as their cousins!
Is My Mother’s Cousin My Aunt Or Uncle?
Your mother’s cousin is more than likely from the same generation as your mom. Because of this, it makes sense that they might be your aunt or uncle.
However, they’re your first cousin once removed. Only your parent’s siblings are your aunts or uncles.
Sometimes, you might still refer to these people as your aunt or uncle because they’re from the same generation. Most people do whatever the rest of the family does in this situation.
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What Does Once Removed Mean?
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Once removed simply implies how many generations apart a relation is. For example, if your grandmother has a cousin, that person would be your first cousin twice removed. This is because you are two generations younger than the cousin in question.
What Is A First Cousin Once Removed?
A first cousin once removed can be either your parent’s cousin or the child of your first cousin. If you have a different relationship with this family member, they probably aren’t your first cousin once removed. They might be your second or third instead.
What Is A Second Cousin Once Removed?
A second cousin once removed is either the second cousin of one of your parents or the child of your second cousin.
An easy way to figure this out is to simply ask your parents what relation the person is to them. Then, add once removed to the ending. This works for first, second, third, etc. cousins.
What Are First, Second, And Third Cousins?
To determine whether someone is your first, second, or third cousin, you can look at who your closest ancestor is. You and your first cousin will share a set of grandparents.
With your second cousin, you’ll both have the same great grandparents. A third cousin and yourself will both share great-great-grandparents.
What Am I To My First Cousin Once Removed?
You’re the same relation to them as they are to you. If you have a first cousin once removed, you’re also that person’s first cousin once removed.
If a person is your second cousin, you’re also their second cousin. Keep in mind it only works this way with cousins.
Interesting Cousin Facts
Did you know that approximately 20% of marriages across the world are between first cousins? This does increase the chance of a child being born with a deformity, which is why this is illegal in most areas of the United States.
However, other countries don’t feel the same way. In fact, marrying a close relative is sometimes encouraged. In the United Arab Emirates, marrying a parallel cousin from your father’s side is preferred.
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Did you know that having children with your fifth cousin can increase your fertility? According to a study completed on an Icelandic population, it’s true! A little creepy, but true. For more interesting cousin facts, check out this article.
In Conclusion
Trying to figure out exactly what a person is called can be confusing. There are so many rules, and most families refer to people as their aunt, uncle, or cousin regardless of their technical relation to a person.
This can make it more confusing at family get together. Thankfully, when it comes to cousins, there are certain rules you can follow to make it a little easier to remember. Your parent’s cousin is always your first cousin once removed.
